Electrical Potential Investigation of Reversible Metastability and Irreversible Degradation of CdTe Solar Cells

Jiang, Chun-Sheng; Albin, David; Nardone, Marco; Howard, K. J.; Danielson, A.; Munshi, A.; Shimpi, T.; Xiao, Chuanxiao; Moutinho, Helio R.; Al-Jassim, Mowafak M.; Teeter, Glenn; Sampath, W.

doi:10.1016/j.solmat.2022.111610

Title: Electrical Potential Investigation of Reversible Metastability and Irreversible Degradation of CdTe Solar Cells

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 2022 · Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.solmat.2022.111610· OSTI ID:1845682

Jiang, Chun-Sheng; Albin, David; Nardone, Marco; Howard, K. J.; Danielson, A.; Munshi, A.; Shimpi, T.; Xiao, Chuanxiao; Moutinho, Helio R.; Al-Jassim, Mowafak M.; Teeter, Glenn; Sampath, W.

In this paper, we report on the stability of CdTe devices with a structure of TCO/MZO/CdSeTe/CdTe/back-contact. The device showed reversible transitions between the light-soak state (LSS) with the best device efficiency and the dark-soak state (DSS) with an inferior efficiency. However, it showed an irreversible degradation state (DgS) driven by long-hour light soaking at an elevated temperature. We have investigated transitions between these three states from the perspective of the electric field by nm-resolution potential imaging across the devices using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). The results exhibit different anomalous electric field profiles. At the LSS, the electric field exhibits a main peak inside the CdSeTe layer instead of the MZO/CdSeTe heterointerface, illustrating a buried homojunction (BHJ) of the device. At the DSS, a large electric field peak at the MZO/CdSeTe interface was measured, which probably resulted in the inferior fill factor at the DSS. At the DgS, the electric field peak at the MZO/CdSeTe interface increased further and a third electric field was measured at the back contact of the device. Device modeling using COMSOL software, in alignment with both the electric field and device current-voltage curves, elucidates that a low n-doped CdSeTe in the region near the MZO/CdSeTe interface caused the BHJ in the LSS and a loss of MZO doping and/or increase of the conduction band offset spike due to long-term stress caused the increased electric field near the MZO/CdSeTe interface at the DgS.

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Research Organization:: National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Renewable Power Office. Solar Energy Technologies Office

DOE Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

OSTI ID:: 1845682

Report Number(s):: NREL/JA-5K00-80794; MainId:78572; UUID:ecd01ac4-5aa2-4e7e-9a72-472af5b3bdf5; MainAdminID:63849

Journal Information:: Solar Energy Materials and Solar Cells, Vol. 238

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Title: Electrical Potential Investigation of Reversible Metastability and Irreversible Degradation of CdTe Solar Cells

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